Rotary machine



J. F'. RHWT ROTARY MACHINE Patented Jan. 10, 19228.v

UNITI-:o STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. BOBEItTS, F WAU'WATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO ALLIB- i lMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, .A CORPORATION DELAWARE.

Application illed June 8, 1925. Serial No. 85,517.

This invention relates in general'to improvements in the construction ofrotors, and relates more specifically to improvements in theconstruction and operation of the rotative elements of fluid propellingor propelled machines such as pumps or turbines.

An object of the invention is to provide improved rotor structure whichis simple in construction and eiiicient in operation. An-

w other ob'ect of the invention is to provide improve mechanism forcontrolling the operation of rotary machines. A further object of theinvention is to provide an iml proved rotor especially applicable to ma-M chines which are operable at relatively7 high specific orcharacteristic speeds. Still another object of the invention is toprovide efiicient means for eifectng angular adjustment of the vanes ofa rotor either while the w rotor is in motion or while it is at rest.Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent inthe course of the following description.

I.et clear conception of an embodiment of M the invention and of theoperation of devices constructed in accordance therewith, may be had byreferring to the drawings accom anying and forming a part of thisspecification in which like reference charac- @u ters designate the sameor similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through the turbine casings anddraft tube of a vertical hydraulic turbine installation.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a turbine rotorthe section being taken horizontally in the plane of the vane pivotaxes.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary secim tional view through the turbinerotor, the

section being taken along'the irregular line lll-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through a portion ofthe adjusting 45 mechanism associated with the main shaft.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section through a portionof the adjusting mechanism and through the main shaft.

While the invention is specifically shown mi and described herein asbeing applied to a hydraulic turbine rotor, it will be apparent that atleast some of the features of the improvement are more generallyapplicable to rotors of any kind. The hydraulic turbine specificallyillustrated, comprises in general a rotor 2 having a plurality of vanes3 radiating from a central hub 4 which is secured to a hollow main shaft5; a main casing 6 for conducting water to the rotor 2 and for changingthe direction of iiow of the water from radial to axial; and a drafttube 11 for conducting the water from the rotor 2 to the tailraoe in'awell known manner.

The dove-tail shaped radiating vanes 3 of the rotor 2 are pivotallyassociated with the hub 4, the inner end of each vane 3 being providedwith bearing portions 39, 41, 40 which are journaled in the hub 4. Thehub 4 is formed of upper and lower sections detachably connected bybolts 38, the hub being split in the horizontal plane of the vanepivots. Each of the vanes has a worm wheel 34 formed integral with itsinner pivotal end, the hub sections being recessed to permit freerotation of the worm wheel 34 therein. Laterally adjacent to the innerend of each of the vane pivots, and mounted within the sections of 'thehub 4, is a vertical pinion shaft 36 the medial portion of which carriesa worm 37 meshing with an adjacent worm wheel 34, and the lowerextremity of each of which has a pinion 35 secured thereto. The pinions35 mesh with gears 33 supported upon stub-shafts 43, and the gears 33 inturn mesh with a pinion 42 formed integral with the lower extremity ofthe actuating shaft 24. The spur gears 33, 35, 42 are located beneaththe hub 4 and are normally enclosed by means of a removable cap securedto the hub 4. The vertical actuating shaft 24 extends upwardly throughlthe hollow main shaft 5 and has a gear 32 formed integral with the upperextremity thereof. The lower extremit ofl the hollow main shaft 5 may heprovided with a flange 15 to which the hub 4 is secured by means ofbolts.

The mechanism for eifecting adjustment of the vanes 3 about theirpivots, comprises a cross shaft carried in bearings in the main shaft 5and in a bracket 44 secured to the main shaft, the shaft 25 having aworm 3l formed integral therewith and meshing with the gear 32 of theactuating shaft 24. The outerl extremity of the cross shaft 25 carries abevel pinion 28 which meshes with upper and lower bevel nears 29, 30,respectively. The upper bevel gear 29 is formed integral with the upperdrum 18 which is bracket and the oppositely rotatably supported upon thehollow main shaft 5 and is prevented from moving longitudinally of theshaft 5 by means of an upper collar 45. The lower bevel gear 30 isformed integral with a lower drum 19 which is rotatable about the hollowmain'shaft 5 and lis prevented from moving longitudinally of the. mainshaft by means of a lower collar 46. Coacting with the drums 18, 19 arebrake bands 20, 21 corresponding ends of which are rigidly attached to astationary corresponding ends of which are connected with an adjustinglever 16 mounted upon a pivot 22 as shown in Fig. 1. The medial portionof the cross shaft 25 carries a worm 26 which meshes with a worm wheel27 formed integral with i The spindle 23 is the lower end of theindicating spindle 23. supported in a bearing in the main shaft 5 andhas a threaded upper end coacting with screw threads in a verticallyslidable indicator 17. The indicator 17 is slidably supported by themain shaft 5 and may be caused to cooperate with a gage whereby theangular disposition of the vanes 3 may be readily observed from theexterior of the turbine casing by looking at the indicator 17.

The hollow main shaft 5 which supports the rotor 2 is mounted insuitable bearings in themain casing 6 which .is rigidly supported fromafoundation 13 by means of supporting rods or stay bolts 14. An annularseries of pivotally'supported adjustable guide vanes 7 are adapted tocontrol the admission of water to a vane free transition space 8, theguide vanes 7 being adjustable by means of an adjusting ring 9 in a wellknown manner. Within the transition space 8 is located a uide wall 12which is adapted to change the direction of flow of the water admittedto the chamber 8 from radial to axial.

During normal operation of the turbine, the adjustin lever 16 isdisposed in neutral position as shown in'Fig. 1 and, water is admittedpast the guide vanes 7, through the transition space 8 to the rotor 2,and is discharged from the rotor 2 into the draft tube 11. The quantityof water thus'admitted may be controlled in a well known manner byadjustment of the guide vanes 7 about their supporting pivots bymanipulation of the ring 9, and the water passes through the rotor 2 inthe form of a swirling mass or vortex. This vortex of liquid cooperateswith the rotor vanes 3 to produce rotation of the hollow main shaft 5and the elements -carried thereby, the brake bands 20, 2l looselysurrounding the drums 18, 19 during such normal operation of the unit.

If it is desiredto effect angular adjustment of the vanes 3 about theirpivotal axes, it is f unnecessary to interfere ,with the flow of waterthrough the rotor. If the adjusting lever 16 is shifted either up ordown from will prevent rotation of the gripped drum` with the shaft 5.The bevel pinion 28 will `immediately roll upon the stationarily heldbevel gear 29 or 30 and will produce rotation of the cross shaft 25 andof the worms 26, 3l carriedvthereby. The rotation of the worm 26 will betransmitted through the spindle 23 to the indicator 17 causin theindicator to slowly travel either up or gown along the shaft 5,depending upon which brake is effective. The rotation of the worm 31will be transmitted through the actuating shaft 24 to thegears 33 andfrom thence through the gears 35 and the shafts 36 to the worm wheels 34associated-with the pivotal ends of the vanes 3, thereby causing thevanes 3 to slowly revolve upon their own axes in the desired direction.It will be obvious that motion of the lever 16 in one direction willproduce corresponding rotation ofyall of the vanes 3 about their ownaxes in corresponding directions, and that opposite movement of thelever 16 will produce opposite simultaneous rotation of the vanes 3about th'eir pivotal If the lever 16 is brought back to neutralposition, the motion of the vanes 3 and of the indicator 17automatically ceases and the vanes 3 as well as the indicator 17 arclocked in adjusted position by virtue of the worm gearing associatedwith these elements. It will thus be noted that the angular dispositionof the vanes 3 of the rotor 2 may be altered at will from the exteriorof the turbine casing, to produce operation of the turbine at maximumefficiency.

The various gears are readily accessible for inspection. By removing thehub cap 10, access is had to the gears 24, 33, 35 located below the hub4. By removing the clamping bolts 38, the vane pivots and the gearingwithin the hub 4 are readily accessible. The actuating shaft 24 may bereadily endwise removed from within the main shaft 5 by virtue of thefact that the gears 32, 42 are of diameters not greater than that of theshaft 24, and this actuating shaft may be normally retained within theshaft 5 in any convenient manner. The transverse` shaft 25 may bereadily removed by removal of the bracket 44 and the bevel gears 29. 30are likewise removable from the shaft 5 upon removal of the retainingcollars 45, 46. By forming and disposing the gears 29, 30, 28 as shownin Figs. '4 and 5, undesirable projections on the rotating shaft 5 areavoided thus eliminating danger of injuring attendants.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of construction and operation herein shown anddescribed for various modificationswithin the scope of the claims maymechanism connecting'said adjusting shaft 'tti 'bill and said wormgearing, andwmeans associated with said main shaft remote from said hubfor relatively rotating said main and` said adjusting shafts.

2. In combination, a hollow main shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, avane pivotally 4supported by said hub, Worm gearing associated with saidvane adjacent to its pivot, an adjusting shaft located within said mainsliaftand extending through said hub, and spur gearing connecting saidadjusting shaft and said worm gearing at the side of said hub remotefrom said hollow shaft.

3. In combination, a hollow main shaft, a hub secured to an end of saidshaft, a plurality of vanes radiating from the axis of said main shaftand pivotally supported by said hub, worm Gearing associated with eachjusting shaft located within said main shaft and extending through saidhub, spur gearing connecting said adjusting shaft and said worm gearingat the side of said hub remote from said hollow shaft, and meansassociated with said main shaft on th'e/ opposite side of said hub forrelatively rotating ,said main and said adjusting shafts to vary theangularity of said vanes about their pivots. 4. In combination, a hollowmain shaft, a hub secured to an end of said shaft, a plurality of vanespivotally supported by said hub, means associated with each of saidvanes adjacent to its pivot for rotating said vanes about their ivotalaxes, an adjusting shaft located within said main shaft and extendingbeyond the end of said hub remote from said main shaft, 'gearingconnecting said vane rotating means and the portion of said adjustingshaftwhicli extends beyond said hub, and means associated with a medialportion of said main shaft for relatively rotating said shafts to effectsimultaneous adjustment of all of said vanes about their pivotal axes.

5. In combination, a pair of concentrically dispensed shafts, aplurailty of vanes, pivot-- ally associated with said shafts, motiontransmitting mechanism connecting one of said shafts and said vanes, apair of laterally spaced gears carried by one of said shafts, a pinioncoacting Vwith both of said said mainhaft, a plurality of vanespivotally associated with one of said shafts, motion transmittingmechanism connecting one of said shafts and said vanes, a air oflaterally spaced gears carried by sai main shaft, a `pinion cooperatingwith said gears,

"' mechanism connecting said pinion and said auxiliary shaft, and meansfor retarding the rotar/yT motion of one of said gears while permittin"rotation of the other with said main sha t to cause relative rotationof said shafts to var `the angularity of said vanes labout their pivotalaxes.

v 7. In combination, a main shaft, a plurality of vanes pivotallyassociated with j said shaft, mechanism associated with said main shaftintermediate its ends for adjusting said vanes about their pivotal axes,and means associated with said main shaft and movable relatively theretoto4 indicate the position of adjustment of said vanes. of said vanesacjacent to its pivot,an ad- 8. In combination, a hollow main shaft, aplurality of vanes pivotally associated with said main shaft, anauxiliary shaft disposed -`within said main shaft, motion transmittingmechanism connecting said auxiliary shaft and said vanes, means forrelatively rotating said main and said auxiliary shafts to vary Atheangularity of said vanes about their pivotal axes, and meansassociatedwith said main shaft and movable relatively thereto toindicate the osition of adjustment of said vanes about t eir axes.

9. In combination, a. main shaft, a hub associated with said shaft, aplurality of vanes pivotally associated with said hub, mechanism foradjusting said vanes about their pivotal axes, and means associated withsaid main shaft and movable relatively thereto to indicate the positionof adjustment of said vanes.

10. In combination, a main shaft, a hub associated with an end of saidshaft, a plurality of vanes pivotally associated with said hub,mechanism for adjusting said vanes about their pivotal axes, and meansassociated with said main shaft remote from said hub and movablerelatively thereto to indicate the position of adjustment of said vanes.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is affixed hereto.

` JAMES F. ROBERTS,

